Detecting human targets is a primary task of an infantry soldier. Completing this task at night poses peculiar difficulties to the soldier. First, the soldier must be able to see the target and then aim his weapon at the target to ensure hitting the target. Soldiers are outfitted with night vision goggles (NVGs) that permit target detection at night. In order to engage the target, the soldier has a laser aiming light mounted on, and boresighted to his weapon. The aiming light provides energy at a particular wavelength that the image intensifier (I2) tube in the NVG can detect. Thus, the soldier sees the target with the NVG. He also sees the aiming light through his night vision goggle and, thus, can move the aiming light onto the target. Since the aiming light is boresighted with his weapon, he can pull the trigger when viewing the aiming light on the target.
The aiming light, which is sensed by the night vision goggle is not visible to the human eye. In the past, this combination enabled the advantage of covert operation; e.g. the solder can see the enemy, but the enemy cannot see the soldier. Today, as a countermeasure, the enemy is capable of fielding a night vision goggle that can detect the aiming light. Consequently, covert operation is no longer possible. Presently, when a soldier turns on his aiming light, the enemy can see him and can engage to target him.